Sorry to bug you ….

Of interest to practically nobody out there but fascinating all the same, and especially for me.

Three species I have never bumped into before all within the space of 48hrs. Have a look at these guys!

No, Argus, you may not say ”Squish”.

This is a Stink Bug. Handle it and you will likely soon understand why. However, apart from this I have been unable to find any more info, even from the boffins on a Bug Site on FB. All the same, striking markings.

If anyone reading has any info …. Pete?

This looks like a Carpenter Bee … But I don’t think it is! Some sort of mimic, from the looks of it, and a rather handsome one at that. Again, no info has been forthcoming from my Facebook pals.

Last but by no means least …

Spotted this little one hanging from a thread between two cabbage leafs!

Seeing the Stink Bug I almost did a double take. It was like … serious Wow!
I suspected it was some form of Stink Bug – as I’ve seen a few – but this one caught me totally off guard. And I still haven’t managed an ID, the closest I have come is the Striped Stink Bug.

The spider shots are pretty good mostly because the spider could not move easily and seemed a bit disorientated finding itself in such a hairy ”jungle” 🙂

It looks a little like our Firebug, but the markings are different. It’s always frustrating when you find something and cannot be sure what it is, especially when it has such distinctive colours and markings.

I just Googled and it does look similar, if not colouration then general body shape. Frustrating indeed. Yet I am sure someone out there – a genuine entomologist – will know what species this is without any trouble.

My sister in the States says that unintendedly imported Chinese stink bugs are a major concern in the north-east (there) right now. Apparently those stinkers are effectively indestructible, and should you happen to squi … oops… squelch one of them they fair HONK. As Hammy’s Dad might have put it, “Honk most foul”. Brrrr …